Damper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

CHARLES A. COUCH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

DAMPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,855, dated November 29, 1892. Application filed May 9,1892. Serial No. 432,231. (No model.)

.To all whom, if may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. COUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dampers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dampers of that class which are adapted to be pivotally supported within smoke -conducting pipes of stoves, furnaces, &c.; and the objects of my invention are to provide an improved damper of this class of such superior construction and arrangement as to admit of the passage of the smoke and gases through the pipe wherein said damper is located and at the same time prevent undue escape of heat with the smoke, to so construct my device as to cause a desirable deflection of the heat downward and outward and prevent the downdraft of cold air into the heat-chamber of a stove or furnace, to construct said damper in a simple and inexpensive form of such parts as to admit of the same being cast or formed separately and readily connected, and to produce other improvements which will be more specifically pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a portion of a smokeconducting pipe partially broken away tosliow a side elevation of myiinproved damper therein. Fig. 2 is a plan view of said damper, and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

a represents a central shaft or stem,with the lower end of which is formed the central portion of an inverted-cone-shaped plate h. The

upper end portion of the shaft a is, as shown in the drawings, provided with a circumfer ential shoulder, (indicated at h,) above which said shaft is threaded to form a screw-shaped extension b2. Upon the lower portion of the screw-threaded extension b2 of the stem a and resting upon the shoulder b is the central portion of a transverse key stern or pin c. This key-stem c supports, as shown, a ringplate d, preferably having a flaring or downwardly and outwardly inclined periphery. The circumference of the base of this ring plate is, as shown in the drawings, preferably of greater diameter than the wider portion of the Haring plate h. The key-stem c, which is angular in cross-section, passes through correspondingly-shaped oppositely-looated openingsfin thewall of the ring d g represents a top plate or deflector which is substantially of an in verted-cone shape and which, being slightly flattened at its apex, is provided, as shown, with a central screwthreaded opening in said flattened portion, which receives the upper end ofthe screwthreaded extension b2 ot' the stem a.

As shown in the drawings, one of the outer projecting ends of the key-stem c is rounded, as shown at c2, said rounded end being adapted to be pivotally supported, as shown, in a suitable opening in the smoke-pipe t'. The opposite end of said key-stem is also provided with a rounded bearing portion cwhich rests in a pipe opening c4, diametrically opposite the bearing of the end c2. On the outer side of this bearing portion c3 said key is provided with a suitable thumb-head c5.

In constructing my device it is evident that the upper deflector-plate g may be provided with a central screw-threaded stem to engage with a suitable screw-hole in the stem a, this method of connection being the reverse of that shown in the drawings.

From the herein described manner of arrangement and formation of parts it will be observed that my improved damper may be produced in a simple and inexpensive manner by forming the parts separately and joining the same in the manner shown.

The damper being supported in the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings, it is evidentthat the volume of smoke, heat, and gases passing upward through the pipe i will come intov contact first with the lower plate b or conical face th ereof. This con tact will result in the heat or the greater portion thereof being deflected outwardly and downwardly, while the smoke or gases will pass uniformly upward about the conical surface of the deflector, thence through the central opening portion of the ring cl, and out along the sides of the upperdeector-plate g. In passing upward it is evident that such heated air as passes the deflector b will by contact with the flaring inner face of the ring d and deector g be subjected to an additional downward de- IOO iiection and also operate to retain the heat within the heat-chamber and prevent its escape with the smoke or gases. It is evident that this contact of the heated air with the surface of said detle'ctors and ring will so heat said surfaces as to prevent any entrance of said cold air which may be drawn downward through the smoke-pipe, thus obviating any tendency toward a mingling of the hot and cold air at the point of location of the damper and within the heat-chamber.

It is evident that by rotating the fingerpiece of the key c my improved damper may be made to assume a position at right angles 0r partially at right angles with that shown, thus admitting of the regulation of the outiiow of heat by decreasing the area of the deflecting-surface to which the volume of heat and smoke is subjected.

From the construction herein shown and described it will readily be seen that a neat, simple, and reliable form of damper is produced which serves to prevent the escape of heat through the smokeflue, which at the same time does not retard the outward movement of the smoke and gases. It is evident from this construction and loperation that al perfect combustion of fuel is produced when the required heatis attained and that no heat or smoke is allowed to escape.

It is obvious that myimproved damper may be readily attached to any form of smoke-conducting flue or pipe in the usual manner without elevation of the ue.

The deiiector-plates herein shown might be spherical or otherwise present flaring surfaces Without altering the principle of myinvention.

By adjusting the defiector-plate and ring vertically on the stem or by increasing the length of the stem I am enabled to adapt the damper to a light or strong draft.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a dam per, the combination of the stem a, a conical or aring surface-defiector b on said stem, a horizontal keypin c, also supported on said stem, and a deiiecting-ring d, suspended above said defiector b, said key being adapted to be journaled in a smoke-pipe, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a damper, the combination, with the stem a., of a Haring deector-plate at each end thereof, a transverse key-pin o, carried on said stem between said plates, and a deector-rng d, suspended between said detlector-plates, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES A. COUCH.

In presence of- THos. S. GATES, EMILY E. BRAGG. 

